Reputation of Rad Onc to other fields

[xrthopeful]

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So I'm a med student and was telling one of my upper level residents in medicine that I'm applying to Rad Onc. He said he had to admit that he hoped medicine puts Rad Onc out of business because radiation has too many negative effects and that he didn't like the future of radiation.

Have any of you ever dealt with this kind of response from non rad oncs? It seems like some people just have an inherent problem with the field. I was a little taken aback at the resident's response, though I tried to explain that we're always getting better at avoiding complications of radiation.

 

[Aphtalyfe]

So I'm a med student and was telling one of my upper level residents in medicine that I'm applying to Rad Onc. He said he had to admit that he hoped medicine puts Rad Onc out of business because radiation has too many negative effects and that he didn't like the future of radiation.

Have any of you ever dealt with this kind of response from non rad oncs? It seems like some people just have an inherent problem with the field. I was a little taken aback at the resident's response, though I tried to explain that we're always getting better at avoiding complications of radiation.

Sounds like he's drinking that hatorade.

 

[medgator]

So I'm a med student and was telling one of my upper level residents in medicine that I'm applying to Rad Onc. He said he had to admit that he hoped medicine puts Rad Onc out of business because radiation has too many negative effects and that he didn't like the future of radiation.

Have any of you ever dealt with this kind of response from non rad oncs? It seems like some people just have an inherent problem with the field. I was a little taken aback at the resident's response, though I tried to explain that we're always getting better at avoiding complications of radiation.

Since the moderator hasn't found this thread yet...

Read the FAQ 🙂

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=674353

Radiation is like any other intervention and has its side effects. There is no free lunch for any treatment modality in the management of cancer. Why don't you ask that resident the complications of chemotherapy or surgery?

 

[thesauce]

Since the moderator hasn't found this thread yet...

Read the FAQ 🙂

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=674353

Radiation is like any other intervention and has its side effects. There is no free lunch for any treatment modality in the management of cancer. Why don't you ask that resident the complications of chemotherapy or surgery?

Heck. Ask him the complications of radiation - I'll bet he can't tell you. Or he'll make up some garbage.

OP: This is something you will have to get used to with radonc. People in and out of medicine have said this for 40 years and yet every one of them think this is their original thought on the subject. Cancer and radiation are two things that people are convinced they know everything about, but don't. I too wish medicine would put us out of business, but the progress they've made in the last decades has been frustratingly poor.

 

[Neuronix]

It seems like some people just have an inherent problem.

That's all you need to know. Apply to rad onc and don't worry about the haters.

 

[w00tz]

Chemo has plenty of crappy side effects, as well. There are not that many side effects of RT that cannot also be said of chemotherapy.

 

[thesauce]

Chemo has plenty of crappy side effects, as well. There are not that many side effects of RT that cannot also be said of chemotherapy.

Including secondary malignancies, which chemo docs never seem to want to talk about

 

[Radonc11]

So I'm a med student and was telling one of my upper level residents in medicine that I'm applying to Rad Onc. He said he had to admit that he hoped medicine puts Rad Onc out of business because radiation has too many negative effects and that he didn't like the future of radiation.

Have any of you ever dealt with this kind of response from non rad oncs? It seems like some people just have an inherent problem with the field. I was a little taken aback at the resident's response, though I tried to explain that we're always getting better at avoiding complications of radiation.

A Medicine resident is exactly where I go to get advice and opinions on the "future of radiation". XRThopeful, come one in, the water is VERY fine!

 

[hot sauce]

So I'm a med student and was telling one of my upper level residents in medicine that I'm applying to Rad Onc. He said he had to admit that he hoped medicine puts Rad Onc out of business because radiation has too many negative effects and that he didn't like the future of radiation.

Have any of you ever dealt with this kind of response from non rad oncs? It seems like some people just have an inherent problem with the field. I was a little taken aback at the resident's response, though I tried to explain that we're always getting better at avoiding complications of radiation.

Must be the same resident that blames everything wrong with the patient on radiation the day after I turn the beam on.

If reputation is important to you, most people respect radiation oncology (in my experience).

 

[VisionaryTics]

Must be the same resident that blames everything wrong with the patient on radiation the day after I turn the beam on.

If reputation is important to you, most people respect radiation oncology (in my experience).

We had a lady in ENT clinic s/p laryngectomy and chemoXRT who had some non-specific dizzyness like a week out from finishing treatment.

Her medical oncologist called it post-radiation carotid stenosis, despite a normal doppler.

 

[deleted4401]

Interesting ... I had the exact thoughts as a student and now frankly, i don't care what anyone else thinks. They can think of me as a trusted colleague and valued member of the multidisciplinary team or they can look at me like a technician. Whatever. I think the younger docs value us more, and the older ones don't. There is a surgeon that answers radiation related toxicity questions (giving incorrect answers), even though we are being asked.

 

[Gfunk6]

They can think of me as a trusted colleague and valued member of the multidisciplinary team or they can look at me like a technician. Whatever. I think the younger docs value us more, and the older ones don't. There is a surgeon that answers radiation related toxicity questions (giving incorrect answers), even though we are being asked.

I concur completely with this sentiment. I also know non-Rad Oncs who think they know about radiation but give *****ic, thoroughly uneducated answers when asked basic questions.